X Chapter:The Himitsu Ikaru Saga
by syaoran no hime
Summary: Himitsu discovers that Sakura is Li's weakness and he proceeds to use her. Little does he know that his weakness is a girl too...someone closelyrelated to his sworn enemy even. SS, MeilingOC.
1. Default Chapter

Episode zero  
  
"Not good."Nine-year-old Li Syaoran told his best friend,Yao Leu."We better split up.Time is running out!We must find it and destroy it before Wei finds out."  
  
"Go left and I'll take the other way."agreed Yao as he went to the other side of the fork in the cave.  
  
Li brought out his incantation cards and prepared imself for the enemy that might attack anytime.His heart raced as he realized his vulnerability in the darkness.  
  
The demon of the cards..why did they foolishly dared to challenge the joker in the set of his ancestors' cards?  
  
He vaguely remembered himself and Yao using his lasin board to communicate with the Clow joker ,the keeper of the negative forces of all the Clow cards.They both challenged him in a duel,and unwittingly set the demon loose.  
  
And here they were,desperately seeking it to destroy it before it wreaks havoc in town.  
  
"Find the demon,defeat it and imprison it once more in its confines before dinnertime,Yup,piece of cake."Li told himself convincingly.  
  
At the same moment,he heard a bloodcurdling scream of pain from inside the cave."Yao!"he shouted.The ground began to shake violently,throwing him off balance.He was about to fetch his friend when he heard another high-pitched scream from the mouth of the cave.He turned and saw his cousin,Meiling being held hostage by a masked clown.A sharp blade was near her throat."Peek-a-boo,you see me."he teased.  
  
"Meiling!!"How did she get there?She's not supposed to be there!Li started to panic.  
  
"I-I'm sorry,Syaoran.I know I shouldn't have followed you,but I was so worried-"Her words were cut short when the clown interrupted."See this ,descendant of Clow?Watch as I tear this little girl into pieces with my weapon of destruction..the masamune!"  
  
"You're insane!The cave is going to collapse any minute!It will bury all of us,including you,inside!"Li yelled.  
  
"Yes,we'll all die together!"cackled the clown.  
  
Li drew out his sword and attacked him."Let her go!!!"  
  
The demon dropped Meiling like a rag doll and blocked his attack with the masamune."You think you can defeat me,boy?You are a fool!"He threw the boy back and raised his masamune.Instantly,the collapse of the cave hastened."Let's all die together!"  
  
"No!"Li protected his cousin while he looked at the opening where Yao was."Yao,I'm coming!"  
  
"Syaoran!!"Meiling cried.  
  
Li realized that he must choose between bringing her out safely or risking it and saving both Yao and his cousin.His fists clenched."I'm sorry,Yao."He led his cousin out of the eroding cave just as it collapsed into a heap of rubbles an dust.  
  
As Li comforted his crying cousin,he looked at the cave sorrowfully.  
  
Yes,he killed the demon before dinnertime.  
  
But he also killed his friend.  
  
In his young heart and mind,he tried to comprehend what he had just done and what are its consequences.His heart wrenched.His friend was gone,and he could never bring him back to life again.It was all his fault.  
  
"Syaoran,let's go home."begged Meiling."Let's call Yao and go home."  
  
Li looked at her gravely and said softly,"He won't be coming home with us anymore,Meiling."  
  
To be continued.. 


	2. 

Episode One  
  
"Syaoran!"Sakura Kinomoto tapped 11-year-old Li Syaoran on the shoulder.  
  
He blinked."What?"  
  
Sakura frowned down at him,concerned."Hey,are you ok?"  
  
He sighed and looked out of the window.Why did he suddenly remember about Yao?"I'm OK."he mumbled.  
  
Eriol Hiragizawa frowned."It's not ok and you know it,my little descendant."he muttered.He crossed his hands togethe.Someone extraordinary was coming.  
  
"Well if you have a problem,you can always run to me."Sakura said before she sat down her seat.  
  
Li slightly reddened."Thanks."  
  
Eriol chuckled to himself."He's back to normal."  
  
"Good morning class."their teacher walked into the classroom with a young black-haired man following her.  
  
"Good morning,Midori-sensei."the servant stood up and bowed.  
  
Li stared at the boy in front of the room.His heart drummed with fear as he scrutinized the very familiar-looking guy.  
  
"Class,I want you to meet a transfer student from Nara,Himitsu Ikaru."introduced the teacher.  
  
The boy slowly looked up,but his eyes directly went to Syaoran.No word was heard from him but Li felt the boy's hatred.  
  
"You may sit beside Ms.Tomoyo Daidouji."Midori told the new student.  
  
Himitsu nodded and walked towards his seat.As he passed by Li,the pencil the latter was fidgeting nervously with broke cleanly in a half.  
  
Eriol saw what happened and he immediately decided to shelve his plans for the clow mistress first.  
  
He must deal with the new student first.  
  
  
  
"So Daidouji is playing tour guide for the new student?"Li said.  
  
Sakura nodded."That's right.If you don't mind,can I walk home with you?"  
  
Li blushed.Walk home with the girl of his dreams?!Suddenly he forgot about everything else.  
  
"SAkura!"  
  
Both turned around and saw ERiol walking towards them."Mihara-san wants to see you."  
  
Sakura nodded."Wait for me,ok?"She ran off.  
  
Li was about to walk away too-he and HIragizawa weren't exactly close buddies and his seemingly romantic interest with Sakura made it worse-when Eriol stopped him.  
  
"Be careful of the new student.He got his eyes on you."  
  
The amber-eyed boy looked startled."How did you-"  
  
The blue-eyed boy looked away."I must accompany Daidouji-san in case something happens."  
  
Li's forehead creased."He knows something."  
  
  
  
"Tomoeda fight!Tomoeada fight!"Sakura sang their team's cheer loudly for him."Well?"  
  
"It's good."he said hollowly.He could feel someone following them,and he's sure it wasn't sneaky Daidouji or world-class jerk Touya Kinomoto.He sensed a more evil aura."Let's hurry home."he said,urgency evident in his voice.  
  
Sakura looked at him quizically."Something wrong?"  
  
Li was about to reply when he felt unexplainable fear cross his heart.He drew out his sword."Go home,Sakura."he ordered.  
  
She looked around."Why?"  
  
He was trembling.He was scared.And he hated it."Go home!"he yelled.  
  
A shadow came out."Good afternoon,Little Wolf."  
  
Sakura and Li turned around."I knew it."He mumbled under his breath.He didn't know how it happened,but it did.  
  
Yao Leu is alive.  
  
Himitsu looked up and his steely-black eyes looked at LI."I'm sorry to interrupt your little date,but I'm on a very important mission,which is to claim your life."He brought out a long weapon with sharp blades at the end.Rings hung at the ends of each blades.  
  
"The Masamune!"Li exclaimed.  
  
"Yes,my weapon of destruction.Did you like it?"the boy asked.  
  
"H-Himitsu,Syaoran?"Sakura whispered.  
  
"How did you survive the cave erosion?"Li asked.  
  
"My hatred gave me the will to live.I want to kill you,because you abandoned me when I needed you most."Without notice,he attacked him.  
  
Sakura suddenly stepped forward,arms spread in front of Li."Stop it,please!"  
  
Himitsu froze,the blade just a few inches away from Sakura's heart.He remembered the little ruby-eyed cousin of Li Syaoran who protected Li in the exact way the girl was doing now.  
  
He sighed and drew back his weapon."I have the honor not to slay you in front of a woman."He waqlked away.  
  
Sakura collpased in relief."He's gone."  
  
Li,on the other hand,fell silent.Yao became more powerful than ever and he wanted his life."He's gone alright,but unti when?"  
  
  
To BE continued... 


	3. 

Episode 3  
  
Li placed his bowl down and wiped his mouth with the table napkin.  
  
"You didn't like the cooking?"Wei asked.  
  
He shook his head."I'm not in the mood to eat."  
  
"I'll go get the ascorbic acid."The butler stood up and went out of the dining room.  
  
Li sighed.He didn't mean to worry Wei.It's just that he couldn't force himself to eat.After all these years,Yao was alive and hell-bent on revenge.  
  
Suddenly,a chilly gust of wind blew into the room.The boy suddenly felt paralyzed.  
  
"Meet me in the park tonight and there we shall do battle,Little Wolf."A voice whispered.  
  
Then everything returned to normal.As soon as he could move,Li struggled to catch his breath."Tonight..he's going to kill me tonight!"  
  
  
  
Li tiptoed out of the gate quietly.He sighed,relieved that Wei didn't catch him sneaking out.He didn't tell him anymore about Yao because he didn't want him to worry.  
  
"Boo!"A voice shouted behind him.  
  
"Aaah!"Li drew out his sword automatically and pointed it at..  
  
"S-Sakura?"he croaked.  
  
"Sorry about that.We just can't resist pulling your leg a little."She gave him a smile that nearly took his breath away.  
  
Tomoyo giggled as she pointed her videocam at the ghostly-white face of the boy.  
  
"D-Don't ever do that again."Li tried to calm his jumping heart."What are you two doing here anyway?"  
  
Sakura turned serious."I sensed something very wrong."  
  
He looked away."You're just being paranoid.  
  
Sakura touched his shoulder."Syaoran,I'm going to ask you the same thing you asked of me before:I want you to tell me what's wrong so I can help you out.we're a team,remember?"  
  
He looked at her sincere emerald eyes and nodded."Yes,Sakura."  
  
  
  
As the three of them walked towards the park,Li narrated to the girls what happened to Yao and how he came back as Himitsu Ikaru,their new classmate.  
  
Sakura looked troubled."But it's not entirely your fault!You just wanted to save Meiling."  
  
"Sakura's right.You just did what you have to do."agreed Tomoyo.  
  
Suddenly the lamplights around the park flickered.Chilling gusts of wind surround them.Syaoran stepped protectively in front of the girls.  
  
"Good evening,Little Wolf.I see you brought along some guests."A boy in scarlet chinese costume was standing above the tallest lightpost,holding his weapon."These two are fortunate enough to witness your death."  
  
Li's face turned grim."Sakura,stay by Tomoyo.She doesn't have the power to protect herself."  
  
"Syaoran,be very careful."The girl reminded her as she took her friend a few feet away.  
  
Li drew out his sword."Believe me,Yao.I never wanted to leave you in that cave."  
  
"Shut up!"Himitsu jumped down."I will claim your life tonight."  
  
"I had no choice!"insisted the amber-eyed boy.  
  
Without warning,Himitsu charged towards him.The boy was taken by surprise so he failed to avoid the attack.His chest got wounded by the razor-sharp blades of the masamune.  
  
"Syaoran!!"cried sakura.She was about to help him when Li faced her."No,stay out of this!"He stood up shakily,ignoring the blood dripping down from his chest."You got me there,but you won't be as lucky next time."  
  
Himitsu smirked."To see is to believe,Little Wolf."  
  
  
  
  
Eriol,who was watching them from the treetop,watched the raven-haired boy intently."I knew there was something about that transferee."  
  
Ruby Moon grinned."Well for one thing,he's cute."  
  
Spinel Sun snorted."Oh please!"  
  
"Little Wolf,some people are watching us from up there."Himitsu glanced at their direction.  
  
"What the-"Ruby frowned.  
  
"The boy spotted us!"The feline was incredulous.  
  
"Interesting."whispered Eriol.  
  
  
  
Syaoran didn't even follow Himitsu's gaze.He used the split-second vulnerability of the enemy to attack.Himitsu though,read his mind and swiftly blocked his sword."That was nice,Little Wolf,attacking when I'm not looking.Too bad it didn't work."He countered Li's attack with the masamune.He stabbed the boy's right knee and threw him away.  
  
Li landed on the ground,holding his right knee in pain.He felt like he was blacking out.  
  
"Syaoran!!!!"cried Sakura.  
  
"No,I can't lose conciousness now.Himistu might turn on Sakura and hurt her."he said to himself.  
  
Sakura,on the other hand,brought out a Sakura card."Firey card!!"  
  
Firey tried to set the boy on fire but Himitsu merely blocked it with his masamune.The flame sizzled and died.  
  
Everyone was shocked.  
  
"H-He wasn't even scratched by my card!"Sakura whispered fearfully.  
  
"You have tried my patience enough."Himitsu aimed a strong wind attack against Sakura,but Tomoyo pushed her out of the way.It was she who got blown away.  
  
"Tomoyo!!"screamede Sakura in horror.  
  
Himitsu sighed."She wasn't really my target,but she got in the way.What a shame,she was really kind to me."He turned to Sakura again.  
  
The girl brought out all her elemental cards.  
  
The black-haired boy smiled sarcastically."Clow cards?I'm more powerful than all of them combined."  
  
"You're wrong!"said Sakura."Because these cards derive their strength from the strength of my heart!"She then released all of the four cards at the same time.  
  
Himitsu blocked them with his masamune,but the Windy's sharp angry gusts scratched his cheek.Himitsu touched the blood with his finger."You'll pay for what you have done to me."He hypnotized Sakura with the rings of his masamune.The girl's green eyes instantly became glassy and lifeless.  
  
He chuckled evily and lifted his arm up towards her direction.His hand grabbed empty air and lifted it up.  
  
Magically,Sakura was lifted up too evem if Himitsu was not actually holding her body.  
  
He then clenched his fists and crumpled it into a ball.  
  
Immediately Sakura let out a cry as if she was being strangled.  
  
"Sakuraaa!"Li forced himself to stand up but the pain on his right knee was excruciatingly painful."Let her go!!Kill me now if you wish,but don't hurt her,I'm begging you!!"  
  
His souless black eyes twinkled diabolically."I see.She is your weakness."He squeezed her throat more,causing her to scream hysterically in pain.  
  
Every scream felt like a knife being stuck deep into his heart."Stop it!!!"Tears fell from his eyes.  
  
"Maybe if I kill her,it will move you to figt better."Himitsu said slowly.He then clenched his fists with all his might.  
  
"No!!!!!"shouted Li.He ignored the great pain on his knee and ran blindly towards Himitsu.  
  
Himitsu opened his hand,and Li watched as Sakura's unmoving body fell down the ground as if in slow motion.His heart stopped beating as he knelt down wearily beside Sakura.He cradled her in his arms."I'm so sorry,Sakura.I failed to protect you,but it will be alright.Everything will be over soon.I promise you that."He laid her down gently.  
  
Himitsu felt his opponent's aura change and his powers increase unbelievably.  
  
"The girl..the girl is the source of his strength.."he realized.  
  
Li looked at him."You just made your biggest mistake in your life.I will have no mercy for the likes of you."Li drew out his sword.  
  
To be continued.. 


	4. 

Episode three  
  
Tomoyo slowly woke up and saw a familiar face looking down at her worriedly.  
  
"W-Who are you?"There was something strikingly familiar about those kind prussian blue eyes.She knew she saw them already.  
  
"It doesn't matter.That was foolish of you to play heroine when you know that you barely have the power to protect yourself."he replied.  
  
"S-Sakura,is she ok?"she asked.  
  
"I'll go check."He stood up and faced a red-haired woman and a black tiger."Take care of her while I'm gone."  
  
"Yes Master."both politely replied.  
  
"W-Wait!What's your name?"She was about to stand up to follow him when he waved his staff.Immediately she fell asleep.  
  
  
  
"Die!!!"Syaoran attacked Himitsu ferociously with every intent to kill him.He had lost control of himself now.All he wanted to do was to destroy the one who harmed Sakura.  
  
"Sakura..Sakura!Sakura!Sakura!!"Li shouted repeatedly as he slashed his opponent.  
  
Himitsu knew that the sudden increase of his foe's fighting ability was unstoppable.He had already waken up the sleeping dragon within Li.  
  
He smiled.He had waited for 2 long years for this battle,and he was enjoying every moment of it.Li was a most formidable opponent.  
  
Syaoran suddenly stepped back,leapt up and attacked his enemy while falling down.Himitsu failed to read his move,so as the first rays of daylight broke through the dark skies,Himitsu was wounded on the shoulder by Li.  
  
Li was breathing heavily as blood dripped down the blade of his sword.  
  
"Dawn has come,Little Wolf.We shall do battle again,next time.Till then."He disappeared into the fog.  
  
Li fell down the ground,panting.He punched the ground with all his might."Damn!!I didn't kill him!!"He started to weep."I'm so sorry,S-Sakura.."  
  
"Stop that foolishness now,my descendant."a voice thundered.  
  
Li looked up and saw a black-coated man standing beside Sakura."Bring the card mistress home so she can sleep properly."  
  
"Sleep properly?You mean she's asleep?"Li couldn't believe his ears.  
  
The boy nodded.  
  
True enough,Sakura woke up."S-Syaoran..Tomoyo?"  
  
Li hurried towards her."Sakura,are you ok?"  
  
"Yeah.My neck just feels stiff,but aside from that,I feel fine."she murmured.  
  
Li was about to thank the boy when he discovered that he was gone too.  
  
  
  
"OOOOOOUUUCCHH!!!!!"  
  
Sakura sighed as she dipped the swab of cotton into the peroxide.She cleaned Li's wound gently."You weren't screaming like this awhile ago."  
  
"Awhile ago,all my attention was focused on fighting with Himitsu.Will you be more gentle,please?"he asked through gritted teeth.  
  
They were in Li's house treating Li's wounds from the battle.  
  
"Wei,can I have more bandages here please?"requested Sakura as she taped one on Li's cheek.  
  
"Maybe you ought to go home before Touya discovers you're gone."Li suggested reluctantly.As much as he was enjoying playing patient for the pretty nurse,he didn't want her to get into trouble with her big brother.  
  
"Ok."she replied.Just as she opened the door,Li Meiling burst into the room."Tadaimaaaa!!!"  
  
  
  
A raven haired little girl looked curiously at the flower crown he made."It's so pretty!"she gushed.  
  
He placed the crown on her hair."There."  
  
She blushed."If only Syaoran can be as kind as you are to me,Yao."  
  
Himitsu sighed when he remembered the sweet little girl he used to treat with fondness.He could vividly recall how she often runs to him whenever Syaoran snobs her.He would then comfort her by playing with her.  
  
He finished ironing his school uniform.The beginning of another fruitless day.  
  
  
  
"Tomoyo is absent."said Sakura worriedly.  
  
"Perhaps she's late."Meiling adjusted her Tomoeda uniform.This was one of her most favorite clothes in her closet.This was a tangible reminders of the good times she had when she,Syaoran and Sakura were still catching the Clow cards.  
  
Li looked at the empty seat beside Tomoyo's seat.He had not tell his cousin yet about Yao Leu.He knew it would worry Meiling terribly if he would tell her about Yao's revenge.He silently prayed he won't turn on Meiling next.  
  
"Eriol is absent too."added Sakura.  
  
"Eriol?Oh yeah,the Londoner who Tomoyo never fails to mention in her letters."said Li's cousin as she recalled Tomoyo's stories about the enigmatic boy who often shows interest on Sakura."Maybe they're out on a date."  
  
Li rolled his eyes.Hiragizawa and Daidouji?That would have to be the most far-fetched couple in the world.  
  
Suddenly Himitsu entered the room.He made a beeline for his seat when he noticed a girl sitting on his place.He frowned."That doesn't look like Daidouji."he muttered.  
  
Sakura and Li saw him.The amber-eyed boy immediately ordered the girl to get out of the seat.  
  
"Why?Is Daidouji's seatmate here already?"She turned around and faced him.  
  
Himitsu froze.He knew that high-pitched voice.He knew that arched eyebrows.He knew those ruby eyes.  
  
It was his little Chinese beauty,Meiling.  
  
  
To be continued.. 


	5. 

Himitsu backed away,to MEiling's surprise.She stood up curiously and examined him,peering at him with her suspicious ruby eyes."Hmm?"  
  
The boy sweatdropped."W-What?"he squeaked,much to Sakura and Li's surprise.  
  
Li's cousin stepped back and stared at him."You look familiar."  
  
"I-I..I..I d-don't know you."he mumbled.  
  
"If you say so."she shrugged and sat down his seat."Is this your place?"  
  
He nodded meekly.  
  
"Mind if I sit here?"  
  
"Y-Yes,I mean no,er.."he sputtered.  
  
"Good morning class."greeted the teacher.  
  
"Ohayou sensei!"  
  
"Everyone,we have a new student in class,altough some of you may already know her back in fourth grade.Li Meiling,come here."  
  
She nodded and walked to the front while Himitsu watched her quietly from his seat.  
  
"Nihao!I'm Li Meiling,for those of you who don't know me.I'm the cousin of your best-looking classmate,Li Syaoran."she announced proudly while Syaoran sweatdropped.  
  
"Alright,since we don't have a ready seat for you yet,you may take the vacant seat beside Ikaru."the sensei gestured towards Himitsu.The boy,upon sensing Meiling's eyes on him,quickly looked down.  
  
She skipped towards him and sat down her seat.  
  
"Now you may all bring out your paper and pen.We're going to have a quiz on problem-solving."the woman announced cheerfully,oblivious to the class' collective groans.  
  
"Great,it's my first day in school and I'm going to take a test about something I know nothing about."she muttered.  
  
Himitsu stared at her wordlessly.  
  
She noticed it and looked at him sharply."What do you want?"   
  
He gulped and quickly turned back to his work.  
  
After a sigh,she turned back to the figures she jotted down.They swirled vexingly in front of her eyes.She suddenly wished she was sitting beside her cousin.Li was very good in Math.  
  
Suddenly,she saw her seatmate push a piece of paper towards her subtly,his face slightly red."Here."  
  
She peered at it and saw the solutions."Y-You're giving this to me?"  
  
He nodded.  
  
"I don't need your help!"she hissed.  
  
His face fell."Uh-"  
  
Her eyes darted towards the teacher's desk.To her relief,it was empty.She cheerfully turned back to her seatmate."But I couldn't turn down such generous offer."She quickly took the paper and copied his answers.  
  
Sakura and Li were watching the scene in awe.  
  
"Is he really the Himitsu Ikaru we fought with last night?"asked Sakura.  
  
Li nodded.  
  
  
  
Meiling placed her lunch on her desk.She looked sideways at her seatmate who was busy making advance notes for their next lesson in Math.She smiled.Even Syaoran was not THAT conscientious.  
  
"Excuse me."she tapped him on the shoulder.  
  
He looked up,startled."Y-Yeah?"  
  
"Why aren't you eating your lunch yet?"  
  
He looked down."I'm not hungry."  
  
"Nonsense!"She broke her sandwich in a half and shoved it to his hand."Eat it."  
  
"Um-"he looked at her food hesitantly.  
  
"Don't kill yourself in front of my eyes,Himitsu.Take it!"she snapped.  
  
His eyes shook."T-Thank you,Ms.Li."he mumbled as he took her offer.  
  
She choked."Ms.Li?That sounds too stiff!Call me by my first name."  
  
"M-Ms. Meiling then."he said.  
  
"Sounds good."She said."By the way,thanks for the help in the Math quiz awhile ago."  
  
"Anytime.Ms.Meiling."he mumbled again.  
  
  
  
"What will you do with her?"asked Nakuru Akizuki,looking at the sleeping Tomoyo.  
  
Eriol calmly sipped his tea."Nothing.We'll wait for her to wake up,then I'll thik of something."  
  
"This shouldn't have happened if you didn't save her!"Nakuru blamed him.  
  
"Why did you save her anyway?"His cat,Spinel,asked.  
  
"Because she was worth saving."he explained matter-of-factly.  
  
"You must think of her so highly for you to say that."the cat remarked.  
  
He stirred his drink and gave no reply.  
  
Tomoyo suddenly let out a groan.  
  
"She's awake!"both of his servants said.  
  
He placed his cup down and waited.  
  
  
Tsuzuku 


	6. 

Episode 5  
  
"What am I doing here?"Tomoyo demanded as she gripped the blanket tightly.  
  
Eriol calmly crossed his legs."You're lying down in my bed,resting."Behind him,Nakuru snickered.  
  
She sat up."Yes,but-"She remembered that she tried to save Sakura,and in turn,was thrown off by Himitsu's attatck.And then..  
  
She vaguely felt someone break her fall.Strong arms caught her and brought her to safety.The boy with the black coat..  
  
So now what was she doing in ERiol Hiragizawa's room?  
  
He read her thoughts."Someone dressed in black outfit brought you here."  
  
She nodded.  
  
"So you're feeling well enough to go home?"he asked.  
  
She nodded again.  
  
"She's quite talkative."commented Nakuru sarcastically.  
  
Eriol chuckled."Now don't scare her.She just woke up."  
  
She bowed down"Arigato for looking after me,Hiragizawa-kun."  
  
"You're most welcome,Daidouji-san."He stood up too."But I do hope that next time you will think twice before you act.Heroism is not always the eagerness to get hurt for other people's sake,but the good outcome your act brought out."he advised.  
  
She paused."Hiragizawa-kun?"  
  
"Forget what I said."he said.  
  
  
  
"Syaoran,wait up!"Sakura ran after the walking boy and his cousin."Help me look for Tomoyo,plese!I called up Aunt Sonomi but she said Tomoyo didn't go home last night."  
  
Li frowned.Is it possible that Himistu kidnapped Tomoyo?  
  
Meiling looked back and forth at the two."Why?What happened last night?"  
  
Li's teeth gritted."M-Meiling,go home ahead of me.Prepare our dinner."  
  
"S-Syaoran..?"  
  
He ran off with Sakura,leaving Meiling standing all alone in the middle of the school yard,confused.She sighed.She still wasn't used to the notion that Sakura is now the no.1 girl in Li Syaoran's life.  
  
She then noticed Himitsu walking home all alone.She ran to him,waving."Himitsu!!"  
  
  
  
"Yao!!"Little Meiling ran to him,sobbing.She threw herself into his chest and started wailing."Yao,Syaoran refused to play with me again!"  
  
He sighed."Mei,your cousin is busy doing some serious training.You know that he's the next leader of the Li clan."He tried to sound reasonable.  
  
"But can't he spare at least half an hour from his time?Am I not worth it?"she asked,eyes wide.  
  
"Look,I'll try to talk to him again-"  
  
"No,I changed my mind.I'll play with you."  
  
"But I thought-"  
  
"You're the only person who is this kind to me.Hsieh hsieh."She hugged him tightly."Wo ai ni,Yao."  
  
"Mei.."He felt his heart beat quicken.  
  
Wo ai ni.  
  
I love you.  
  
Mei didn't know yet how much those three words affected him.  
  
  
  
"Himitsu!!"He heard someone call his name.He turned around and saw Li Meiling running after him.Blood crept on his face as his heart started pounding and his palms began to feel sweaty and clammy.  
  
Damn,what was happening to him?  
  
"M-Ms. Meiling?"he said.  
  
She beamed."Let's walk home together."  
  
"T-Together?"he choked.  
  
"Yeah,what's wrong with that?"she asked.She then smiled teasingly."Don't tell me you ALREADY have a girlfriend and she would get jealous when she sees you with me,hmm?"  
  
"N-No,I-"Good grief?Why does he get tounge-tied whenever she's talking to him."I don't have one."he managed to choke out."How about you,Ms.Meiling?Won't someone get jealous when he sees you with me?"  
  
She pouted."I wish,but he ran off with another girl already."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"He's a boy in our class.My cousin,Li Syaoran."  
  
"Oh."he said.Still Li Syaoran?  
  
"But well,this is my cousin's chance to ask the girl out anyway."she said sadly.  
  
He looked at her."Your cousin..you love him,don't you?"  
  
"Very much,Himitsu."she whispered."I love him more than anyone else in the world."  
  
He remained quiet,listening.  
  
"But I want him to be happy,even if it means someone else would give him that.E-Even if I know he would only get hurt in the end."  
  
She looked up and found him gazing at her sympathetically.Just like Daidouji,he didn't pity her.His eyes showed concern.  
  
She gasped.Just like-  
  
-the nine year old boy who was her best friend.  
  
She shook her head.Yao is gone.Why was she suddenly remembering him again?  
  
"Ms.Meiling,I'm sure the right man will come for you someday.Someone who would love you better."he said comfortingly.  
  
"Thanks,Himitsu."She felt strangely good."Is it ok if I call you Himitsu?"  
  
"N-No problem,Ms.Meiling."he croaked.   
  
"Well,this is my house."She stopped in front of the gates."Thanks for walking with me.I barely felt the time pass."  
  
"L-Likewise."He made no move to leave.  
  
She looked puzzled."Do you want to come in?"  
  
He blushed."N-No!"He cleared his throat."I mean,I was just waiting for you to enter your house safely.I-I was just making sure-"  
  
Meiling giggled."I see.Thanks,Himitsu.see you tomorrow!"She skipped into the house.  
  
Himitsu looked at her,a small smile on his face.For the first time since ages,he was excited to face the next day."See you tomorrow,Ms.Meiling."he whispered.  
  
  
  
"Tomoyo?!"SAkura and Li looked at Tomoyo who was kneeling beside her videotape.  
  
She looked up,a weak smile on her face."Hey."  
  
"What happened?"asked Li.  
  
She looked down."Um.."  
  
"Where were you?"asked Sakura,clearly worried.  
  
Tomoyo looked at her videocam."I'm not sure myself."she admitted."Let's watch my video record on last night's battle just to be sure."  
  
Both Sakura and Syaoran nodded.  
  
  
To be continued.. 


	7. 

Episode 6  
  
Himitsu rubbed the cold hard steel blade of the masamune,the weapon the Clow Joker gave him.  
  
"Use this to deliver the just punishment to the Descendant of Clow for abandoning you when you needed him most."ordered the demon after he finished training the young Yao.  
  
The noy nodded and took the weapon along with the vow to kill Li Syaoran.  
  
Then Himitsu stopped.In his mind he saw the ruby-eyed Meiling confessing to him how much he loves the person.  
  
He inhaled deeply,confused.He suddenly felt unsureof his plan now that he remembered how much she cares for Li.  
  
Why?  
  
Why?  
  
Why couldn't he stop thinking of her?  
  
Why?  
  
  
  
  
three pairs of eyes watched as the Sakura in the screen was magically lifted up by himitsu's magic.  
  
"Sakuraaaa!"The Li on screen yelled."Let her go,Himitsu!I'm begging you!Kill me now,but don't hurt her!"  
  
A voice spoke on the screen."I see,she is your weakness.Maybe if I kill her it will move you to fight better."  
  
Tomoyo was busy scanning for any sign of the black-coated boy,but her only hint of him was when Himitsu spoke of "someone" watching them.  
  
Sakura,meanwhile was watching the tape as if it was just a movie.  
  
Li,on the other hand,was sweating bullets,He knew what was going to happen next.  
  
"..I will have no mercy for the likes of you."The Li on screen drew out his sword,ready to attack.  
  
Syaoran gasped.No!He swapped the remote to turn the VcR off,but Tomoyo grabbed it away from him."Li,behave!"she scolded.  
  
He fudgeted nervously.He shut his eyes tight so he wouldn't see himself execute his stupidity on screen.Too bad he couldn't shut his ears too.He could hear himself screaming Sakura's name over and over again as he attacked Himitsu.Suddenly they saw a big rock hit the screen before tit turned black.  
  
Tomoyo cried out in horror."No!!My precious videocam got broken!"  
  
As Li sighed in relief,Sakura frowned."So how does that explain your sudden disappearance,Tomoyo?"  
  
She ejected her tape silently.  
  
Syaoran stood up."Ok,the movie's over.I'm going home."  
  
"Bye Syaoran!"bade Sakura cheerfully.  
  
They didn't notice Touya Kinomoto watching them from the kitchen.He smiled crookedly.He hated the Chinese gaki for liking his little sister,but he was thankful as well.At least he knew that someone could protect the vulnerable Sakura now that he has lost the power to do so.  
  
  
  
Meiling could see Yao and Li going into the cave.She immdeiately rose to follow them.She then saw the cave collapse.Panicked,she rushed in to try to save her friends,but magically,the erosion stopped.All she could se was heavy black darkness and defeaning silence.  
  
"You killed Yao Leu."a mysterious voice chanted.  
  
She gasped."Who's there?"  
  
"You killed Yao Leu.You killed Yao Leu."the voice repeated.  
  
Meiling clasped her hands over her ears."What are you talking about?I DIDN'T KILL YAO!"  
  
She ran away from the horrible scene,but crashed on somebody.When she looked up,she saw a mysteriously familiar face.He was dressed in chinese red costume.From the distance she can see a weapon.  
  
Just like the weapon she saw the demon was holding 2 years ago.  
  
And the person spoke.  
  
"Mei.."  
  
"Yao?"  
  
  
  
"Meiling,wake up!"  
  
She opened her eyes and saw her cousin's amber eyes looking at her with concern.  
  
"You're dreaming."said Li.  
  
"Oh."She stood up and touched her head.  
  
"Hey,you don't have to go to school today.I'll tell Wei-"  
  
"No."She stood up."I'm going to school today.It's lonely here."  
  
He sighed."Fine."  
  
  
  
Himitsu was standing directly in front of the Li gates.He looked up at one of the windows,hoping he could catch a glimpse of Meiling,but when after a few seconds he didn't,he continued on his way to school.  
  
  
  
To be continued... 


	8. 

Episode 7  
  
In the classroom..  
  
"Ohayou,Sakura!Ohayou,Daidouji-san!"greeted Eriol as he sat down his seat.  
  
Meiling frowned while Sakura giggled."You forgot to greet someone here."  
  
He looked surprised."Is that so?"He turned to Li."Ohayou,Li Syaoran!"  
  
Meiling stood up and slammed her fist down on the table."How dare you do this kind of irreverence to me!"  
  
"Do I know you?"he asked.  
  
"Of course!You already met me when I last visited my ousin."  
  
He sighed."Perhaps you're right.What's your name?"  
  
"Dummy.D-U-M-M-Y."she replied sarcastically."Look here,London Boy.I don't like the way you're rivaling with my cousin for his girl.Back off,understand?"  
  
He gave her a mock salute."Aye,aye Commander Dummy."  
  
Everyone in the class laughed.  
  
Li meanwhile dragged his cousin away.Chances are,he's going to tell everyone who the mystery girl was.  
  
But Meiling wasn't finished yet."Once I hear you hitting after her,I swear I'll beat you up!"  
  
He chuckled."For the time being,I'm more interested in the new student."  
  
Right on cue,Himitsu entered the room.He ignored everyone's gaze on him.He sat down his seat."Ohayou gozaimasu,Ms.Meiling."He placed the plastic bag he was holding down on the floor.  
  
She smiled back."Ohayou,Himitsu."  
  
Tomoyo stood at the corner of the room awkwardly.Meiling had takenher place already.  
  
"There's one more seat left."Eriol pointed to the seat beside him.  
  
She smiled gratefully."Arigatou,Hiragizawa-kun."  
  
Meiling was watching them."Personally,I can't understand how Daidouji can stand that guy!"  
  
Himitsu's forehead creased.Eriol Hiragizawa was certainly extraordinary.He could sense great power in him.He reminded himself to be more careful in dealing with him.  
  
"Himitsu,what's in the bag?"Meiling pointed to his plastic bag.  
  
"My PE uniform."he replied.  
  
She slapped her forehead."Darn,I forgot to bring mine!Oh well,I guess I'll join you guys tomorrow."She turned her attention back to the teacher.  
  
Himitsu imitated her,but sometimes he couldn't stop himself from glancing at his seatmate's way.  
  
  
  
Li Syaoran watched Himitsu closely.He could see that his aura changed dramatically.He seemed to act normal enough when he's in the classroom.  
  
"Weird."he muttered.  
  
  
  
Later,Meiling sat at the bleachers and watched as the rest of the class were having their PE class.They were going to have a 2-day Track and Field class contest which would start that day.  
  
She glanced at the girsl.Sakura Kinomoto is the sure winner.She's the most athletic and quickest of all of them,most probably from chasing after the Cards.  
  
She looked at the boys.Li Syaoran,on the other hand,will surely win.His speed is incomparable.  
  
She then noticed Himitsu reading his Math book while sitiing on the grass.He went to him.  
  
Upon hearing her footsteps,he looked up,slightly flushed."M-Ms. Meiling!"  
  
She sat down beside him."Why aren't you warming up like them?"  
  
"I'm done."he replied.  
  
"Well,goodluck."she crossed her fingers."You're going to need it.My cousin is a very good runner."  
  
Immediately,Himitsu was more determined to win.  
  
  
  
"Finish Line!Himitsu Ikaru and Li Syaoran crossed the line at the same time!"Terada-sensei announced happily.  
  
As everyone crowded around Li to congratulate him,Himitsu quietly slipped away.He sat down on his spot and continued reading his homework.  
  
"Great race!"Meiling greeted him as she threw a towel on him.He caught it and wiped his face with it."Thank you."he said.  
  
"You know,the only other person who could compete with my cousin was his best friend,Yao Leu.That was 2 years ago."Her eyes saddened.  
  
He looked away."So where is Yao now?"  
  
She smiled sadly."I don't know.But he was a very kind person.He was very quiet and meditative,but he could be very funny,especially when he's trying to cheer me up."  
  
Himitsu suddenly remembered how he would play dolls and dress-up with Meiling just so she would forget about her cousin.  
  
She looked up."You know what,there's something about you that makes it easy for me to reveal readily what's on my mind.I hope you don't mind if I tell you a lot of nonsense."  
  
"No,not at all."He smiled a little.  
  
Meiling paused and stood up."I'm going to my cousin to congratulate him."  
  
He nodded.  
  
  
  
Li watched his cousin and Himitsu from afar.  
  
Tomoyo followed his gaze."Li,I think Himitsu likes Meiling."  
  
He yelped and nearly choked."No way!"He cleared his throat."Maybe he's turning on Meiling next."  
  
Tomoyo shrugged."You guys are so dense!"  
  
Li rolled his eyes."Whatever."  
  
  
  
To be continued... 


	9. 

Episode 8  
  
Himitsu was surprised to see a bowl of steaming hot noodles on his desk the next morning.  
  
"Good morning,Himitsu.Did you like the breakfast I made for you?"Meling asked as she sat on her seat.  
  
"T-This is for me?"He looked at the noodles then back at his seatmate."I-I already had breakfast."  
  
"WHAT??!"Her smile turned into a giant scowl.She grabbed him by the collar."That's all you're going to say after i woke up extra early just to cook this for you so you would have the energy to compete against my cousin??"  
  
He smiled weakly."Come to think of it,I still am hungry."He quickly busied himself in finishing the food.  
  
"So how does it taste?"she asked eagerly.  
  
"Very good.You're a great cook."he said truthfully.  
  
"If I were you,my classmate,I would take extra precaution and take a milk of magnesia afterwards."Eriol quipped.  
  
Meiling glared at him."Well you're not him,so take a hike,London Boy!"  
  
"London Boy has a name."he reminded her wryly."Eriol hiragizawa,at your service,Com.Dummy.Pleased to meet you"  
  
"Charmed."she shot back sarcastically.  
  
The bell rang as Tomoyo hurried into the room,panting.  
  
Instantly Eriol looked concerned."Take your seat,Daidouji-san.You look like you'll collapse any miute now."  
  
She smiled apologetically."I'm sorry for worrying you,but I just came from Sakura-chan's house.She's down with flu and-"  
  
"Don't worry about her.Sakura-san is a strong girl."he told her reassuringly.  
  
She paused.She sensed his dead certainty on his words.Did he really know Sakura that well?  
  
He smiled in return.  
  
  
  
Li Syaoran was not in the mood to do some PE activities.He was worried sick about Sakura's absence.Why wasn't she in school today?  
  
He saw Himitsu tying his shoelaces.This guy was also a great concern to him.Why does he act differently whenever he's with Meiling?He saw them taking breakfast together in the classroo this morning.  
  
  
  
"On your marks,get set..GO!!!"Terada blew the whistle,starting the race.  
  
Li immediately shot ahead of Himitsu.As the rest of the class cheered,Meiling was confused as to whom should she cheer for.  
  
"I might as well cheer for Syaoran.He's going to win anyway."her mind said.  
  
She clenched her fists."Himitsu,go for it!!!"she yelled.  
  
Everyone was astounded,including Li himself.Himitsu,on the other hand,immediately felt renewed vigor and was overwhelmed by a great determination to win.Adrenaline pumped in his veins as he steadily picked up speed.  
  
He was just catching up with his opponent when he stubbed his toe on a hidden hump,lost his balance,and hit his foot hard on the ground.  
  
"Himitsu!!"Meiling's shriek could be heard above the scream of the crowd.  
  
Syaoran,who was just a few meters away from the finish line,pivoted and rushed to his side."What part of your body hurts,Ikaru?"  
  
"Meiling..I must win the race for Mei.."he whispered fiercely.  
  
Meiling arrived and bent to peer at Himitsu's face."Will he be ok?"  
  
Upon hearing her voice,Himitsu sat up suddenly."I'm ok-"  
  
Everyone gasped.  
  
Meiling and Himitsu's lips were locked together.  
  
The boy pulled away,face a twist of colors."M-Ms.Meiling,I didn't mean to-"  
  
She was confused too.She stood up and fled.  
  
"Ms.Meiling,wait!"He tried to stand up to follow her but collapsed.His ankle was swollen.  
  
Li exhaled deeply.So Tomoyo was right after all.  
  
"Come on,Ikaru.I'll take you to the clinic."he offered as he helped him stand up.  
  
  
To Be Continued 


	10. 

Dismissal...  
  
"Li Syaoran!"called Himitsu.  
  
The boy whirled around,utterly shocked."What do you want?"  
  
"P-Please tell Ms.Meiling that I'm sorry about what happened in PE class.I-I..I didn't mean for it to happen."he said,not looking at Li's eyes.  
  
The boy nodded.  
  
  
Himitsu struggled to walk home.Upon arrival,he sat down the floor to treat his sprain.In seconds,with his magic,the pain was gone.  
  
"Too bad I can't say the same for me and Ms.Meiling."he mumbled.  
  
He took his clothes off and showered,yet he still couldn't erase from his mind the ruby-eyed Chinese Aphrodite whom he couldn't stop thinking of since the first day they met.  
  
"Ms.Meiling..  
He leaned his head on the bathroom wall.The mere thought of her makes him warm all over.His heartbeat traced.  
What is this feeling-"  
  
Then he remembered the fact that Meiling was Li's cousin.Himitsu shook his head."No,I must not think of her.I didn't come here for Ms.Meiling.I came here to kill Li Syaoran."  
  
He absent-mindedly touched his lips and once again remembered the softness of her lips.He felt like he kissed the delicate petals of roses.  
  
He rubbed his face with his hands."God,Ms.Meilng!What did you do to me?"  
  
  
  
The next day..  
  
"Does my hair look alright?"Himitsu asked himself for the nth time.  
  
He then sprayed an expensive perfume that Eriol recommended to him over the phone to him.He sneezed."I'm not used to this stuff,but to impress her,I'm willing to go through anything."  
  
He brushed his teeth for the fourth time,gargled for the third time,and flossed before going out of his house dressed in a neatly-ironed uniform and sparkling leather shoes.  
  
Along the way,he brought flowers of several variety from the Flower shop.He then brought some expensive heart-shaped chocolates.According to Yamazaki,you must give the girl you like these offerings to woo her.  
  
"Girls are very easy to please with the most simple things in life."Yamazaki told him before dismissal yesterday when he asked the boy some advice on courting girls.Chiharu Mihara quickly disagreed.  
  
"You must be sincere to that girl first and foremost.You can't buy sincerity,you know."She frowned curiously."Who's that girl anyway?"  
  
He gave no reply.The blush did the talking for him.  
  
Himitsu arrived in school.He went to the classroom and peeked.No one was inside.  
  
He sighed.He woke up extra early just to get here befpore anyone else.He didn't know if he had the courage to give his gifts to Meiling with so many people around.  
  
Come to think of it,he never got any sleep because he was thinking of her!  
  
He slowly put the flowers down on his seatmate's desk..cautiously..gently..  
  
Suddenly,a hand tapped him."Hey!"  
  
"Aaaah!"He automatically hid the flowers behind him.  
  
Li Meiling was looking at him suspiciously."What the heck are you doing in the school this early,Himitsu Ikaru?"  
  
Beads of sweat dropped down his face."U-uh..."  
  
"What are you hiding behind you?"  
  
"N-Nothing interesting."He managed to choke out.  
  
"Flowers."She said matter-of-factly.She sat down her place."Now tell me,why will you give flowers to me,hmm?"  
  
His hands suddenly turned wet and clammy."U-Uh.."  
  
  
  
Syaoran and Sakura were heading to the classroom when they heard voices talking inside the classroom.Automaticaslly,the girl inched towards the boy."W-What's that?"  
  
He fought the urge to inch away.He couldn't stand her nearness.HE_COULDN'T."I-I'll check it out."He peeked in the window.  
  
Sakura followed him."Ghosts?"  
  
He didn't reply.He could see Himitsu and his cousin talking.  
  
"Funny,but the ghosts kinda look familiar."murmured Sakura.  
  
Li rolled his eyes."Baka!They're Himitsu and Meiling!"  
  
Chiharu,Yamazaki and their classmates hurried to them."What's going on?Why aren't you inside the room?"  
  
"Ssh!"sakura pointed to the people inside.  
  
Chiharu peeked inside."W-What?"  
  
They watched as a very red Himitsu twisted and turned as if groping for words."Because..because..because you..were the first person to treat me like a normal human..You.."He choked.  
  
"Continue."Meiling prompted.  
  
"You are very kind.You're not superficial..you are you."he continued.  
  
"And.."she said.  
  
"I can't stop thinking of you.Every night,every day..especially after that kiss.."  
  
The crowd outside gasped.  
  
"Ooh!"Chiharu and Yamazaki said in unison.  
  
Meiling blushed."W-What about it?"  
  
Outside,Tomoyo arrived."Hey guys!"Her forehead creased."Is there a shooting inside or something?Why are you all crowded outside the door?"  
  
"Ssh!"Everyone hushed and pointed to the door.She curiously peeked in and stepped back,sighing."Guys,you know it's wrong to eavesdrop on a private conversation."  
  
"We're not eavesdropping!"Yamazaki said indignantly."We're..uh..doing some audio excercises."  
  
Tomoyo sighed.  
  
"Quiet,everyone!They'll hear us!"said Naoko Yanagisawa.She turned her attention back to what was happening inside.  
  
"M-Ms.Meiling,the truth is..Yamazaki told me to give you these gifts.."  
  
"WHAT?!"Meiling and Chiharu exclaimed at the same time.  
  
Himitsu's eyes widened."No,Ms.Meiling!I mean,Yamazaki made me do this because it will show you how much I-"  
  
His explanations was interrupted by the sudden crashing of the door.Everyone but Tomoyo fell down the ground,with Chiharu strangling Yamazaki at the bottom of the crowd."So you like Meiling huh?You dense airhead!You insensitive jerk!You..you idiot!I've been here by your side since we were kids but you never took interest on me!Tell me,what does she have that I don't,huh,HUH?"  
  
"Eep,let me go!"begged the poor boy.  
  
The rest of the class on the other hand were looking at Himitsu and Meiling teasingly."Confess!Confess!"they cheered.  
  
Li watched Himitsu quietly.  
  
Himitsu looked down at the ground.He could feel his insides melt in embarassment.  
  
"No,I must say this to Ms.Meiling!It's now or never!"he thought.He suddenly carried Meiling in his arms and leaped out of the window,to everyone's shock.  
  
Li hurried to the window."Where are you taking her?"  
  
"I'm just going to borrow her!"he shouted back.  
  
  
  
Minutes later...  
  
"Let's talk here."Himitsu put her down gently.  
  
Meiling opened her eyes."You're wearing London Boy's perfume."she stated confidently.  
  
He looked away,embarassed."I sort of asked his advice about courting girls."  
  
"Lovely."Meiling looked at him."So what are we going to talk about?"  
  
"Uh..I like you?"he mumbled.  
  
Her eyebrow raised."What?"  
  
"I like you."he repeated.  
  
She nodded,then froze."WHAT?!"  
  
Himitsu felt like jumping off the roof they were standing at,but he shouted."I LIKE YOU,MS.MEILING!!!"  
  
Heads turned to their direction.  
  
He kneeled in front of her humbly."Hate me if you want,but the important thing is,I've told you what I feel."  
  
Meiling peered at his face,studying his eyes."You're telling the truth."She sat down."Sit down."  
  
"B-But why?"  
  
"I said sit down!"  
  
"Yes,Ms.MEiling."he said meekly.  
  
"How sure are you about your feelings?"  
  
"Very sure."  
  
She looked at him for what seemed like eternity before she kissed him on the cheek."Thank you for feelings.I like you too."  
  
Himitsu's face brightened and his heart soared.His chinese aphrodite likes him too!He embraced her,enjoying her warmth radiating to his heart.  
  
  
To Be Continued.. 


	11. Episode 11

Episode 10  
  
"Yao!" Meiling woke up,sweating all over.She dreant again of Yao Leu.  
  
Why?  
  
He's gone for a couple of years now.  
  
What's going on?  
  
And why was he holding that weapon the demon was holding too?  
  
  
  
Himitsu covered his masamune with a heavy black cloth.  
  
He was going to forget his mission to kill LI Syaoran.He wasn't sure if he could bear the grief of Meiling when that person disappears.  
  
He cared for the girl with all his heart.Her happiness is more important than his own life.  
  
And her happiness is Li Syaoran.  
  
He didn't notice the evil aura coming out from his weapon.  
  
  
  
The next day...  
  
"W-What?!" exclaimed Himitsu.  
  
"I said I want to see where you live," Meiling repeated.  
  
He shook his head vigorously."It's only a small house-"  
  
"I'M GOING TO YOUR HOUSE THIS AFTERNOON,PERIOD!"she barked.  
  
"Y-Yes,Ms.Meiling."he said,meek as a lamb.  
  
"Why Ikaru Himitsu,practicing your hen-pecked husband act a bit too early?" teased Eriol.  
  
His cheeks reddened,but Meiling glared at the blue-eyed boy."Look who's talking!As if I don't notice how easily Daidouji wraps you around her little pinkie finger!I saw you making her assignments for her!"  
  
"I am charitable."Eriol smiled affably."And I like Daidouji-san a lot.Feminine,prim and proper and very lady-like.An ideal wife."  
  
The Chinese lass smirked."If I were her,I'd rather marry a penguin."  
  
To this the boy's smile widened."Well I'd rather marry Himitsu than someone as talkative as you."  
  
"O-Ohayou."Tomoyo sat down and looked around.  
  
"Sakura isn't here yet."Eriol said helpfully.  
  
"I see."She couldn't look at him in the eye after she heard the snippets of their conversation awhile ago.  
  
"Daidouji-san,are you interested in Meiling's dating service?Her potential dates include cute,lovable and adorable ones intensely engaged in ice sports and whose preferred diet is limited to fish?"he asked.  
  
Before Tomoyo could answer,Syaoran arrived.He too looked around the room first.  
  
"Your princess is not here yet."Eriol said.  
  
He frowned worriedly as Meiling commented on how Eriol should become a walking,talking attendance sheet.  
  
Li stared at the empty seat in front of him,clearly perplexed.  
  
  
  
Kero-chan circled around its mistress.Sakura complained of headache last night,despite Yukito's presence in the dinner room last night.She went straight to bed and slept,but she has not waken up yet.  
  
The girl was breathing,but her heartbeat was getting weaker.  
  
Kero was worried sick.What should it do?  
  
"Call Yue." he thought.  
  
  
  
Himitsu stood alone at the top of the building,thinking.Why did the Clow demon desire Li Syaoran's death?He was only a Clo descendant,but he didn't possess the clow cards.How will the Clow Joker benefit from his death?There was still another cardcaptor in the person of SAkura Kinomoto,unless...  
  
  
  
Syaoran was changing his shoes when he heard someone speak to him mentally.  
  
"The card mistress needs you."the voice warned.  
  
"Yao?"he asked.  
  
"There's no more time.Wake her up,now!"  
  
Instantly,Li shut his locker close and ran out of school.He knew it!He knew SAkura was in danger!  
  
  
  
Himitsu sighed.Why did he bother to warn Li Syaoran?He should have just leave the Clow Joker's plan for the girl alone.He has his own mission.  
  
But he knew the feeling of a boy worrying about his special girl.He feels the same way for Meiling.He knew he would kill even the demon if something bad happens to her.  
  
"I hope you make it on time,Li Syaoran."he thought as he went down the roof when he heard Meiling's cheerful voice calling out his name.  
  
  
  
To be continued... 


	12. Episode 12

Episode 11  
  
"Please,I need to see your sister right now!" cried Li desperately.  
  
Touya Kinomoto looked at him testily,"My sister is sick right now and she can't accept visitors right now."  
  
Dread filled the boy's heart."Just let me see her,even for only a minute!"  
  
The man opened the door."Alright I'm going to the drugstore to buy her medicine. I'm giving you 15 minutes to talk to her privately."  
  
Syaoran smiled at the man gratefully.  
  
  
  
"She has not waken up yet since last night," explained Kero-chan,thankful for the arrival of the Clow descendant.  
  
Li checked Sakura's pulse in the wrist."Her pulse is irregular." He was starting to feel afraid all over again. What was happening to Sakura?  
  
All of a sudden,Yue appeared in the room. "The mistress is facing a crisis." he said,his voice even and cool but his eyes said the opposite.  
  
Li took out his incantation card and concentrated deeply. His eyes then widened in alarm,and he tossed the card on Sakura's forehead. The three watched as Sakura's body released some kind of an evil aura. The girl moaned in pain.  
  
"What is it?" both guardians asked.  
  
"It's some kind of a slumber spell that may end up with the victim not waking up forever," Li looked up grimly."Sakura was cursed."  
  
  
  
Meiling's jaw dropped,"Woooow!!!!!"  
  
Himitsu opened the gates to his mansion."This is where I live."  
  
"And you live here alone?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Don't you get lonely at all?" she asked curiously as her eyes wandered around the large compound.  
  
"Not really. Your memories keep me company." he said shyly.  
  
She smiled."That's so sweet."  
  
He blushed."U-Uh,please come in."  
  
  
  
"So how can we save the mistress?" asked Yue.  
  
"Well we need someone who can enter her dreams and urge her to wake up." the boy explained.  
  
"How do we do that?" asked Kero.  
  
"The easiest way is through the mouth." the boy said awkwardly.  
  
"Like a kiss?" asked the animal.  
  
Silence.  
  
"So who will do it???" the three asked at the same time.  
  
"Well not me!She might just swallow me with my size!"Kero looked at his tiny self.  
  
Yue and Li looked at each other inquiringly.  
  
"Let's resolve this issue the gentleman's way." said Kero.  
  
"How?" both asked in interest.  
  
The animal smiled mysteriously.  
  
  
  
While Himitsu went into the kitchen to fix some snacks for them,Meiling wandered into the countless empty rooms in the house.  
  
The girl was puzzled as to why Himitsu would opt to live in a very big house all by himself. Where are his parents?  
  
When she entered the next room, she saw a dresser, a bed and furnitures that prove that someone does live there.  
  
"Must be Himitsu's room." she thought as she plopped down his bed. She looked around,appreciating the neatness of his room.  
  
She then noticed a black cloth underneath his bed. Curious,she kneeled beside it and pulled it out."Is this where he keeps his abs machine?"  
  
Her blood froze when she uncovered the thing.  
  
It wasn't an excercise machine at all.  
  
It was the weapon the demon was holding,and the same weapon she dreamt Yao was holding.  
  
  
  
"Scissor,paper,stone!!" Li and Yue yelled.  
  
Li's hand was paper.  
  
Yue's was stone.  
  
"Alright Kid,pucker up!!" yelled Kero.  
  
The boy's face burned.He pushed the two out of the room. "Stay outside until I tell you so!" He locked the room.  
  
Yue couldn't help but smile."He's one amusing person."  
  
Kero sighed."If it wasn't for Sakura's sake,I would never ever let that Kid give Sakura her first kiss!"  
  
Yue crossed his arms over his chest. "We do want to save our mistress ,right?"  
  
The animal sighed,"Attari!"  
  
  
To be continued... 


	13. episode 13

Meiling couldn't believe what was in front of her.  
  
Behind her, she heard something crash. She turned around and saw Himitsu looking at her, face pale as a ghost.  
  
She stood up weakly. "H-Himitsu, why is this with you?"  
  
He looked down at the broken plates. "Ms.Meiling.."  
  
She faced him. "Don't tell me that you're no ordinary person..that you have magic and you know something about the Clow cards.." she whispered.  
  
Still not looking up at her, he walked towards her.  
  
Oh god, was he going to kill her because she already knew his secret?  
  
He knelt down beside the masamune and held it. He then pointed it to Meiling.  
  
Her eyes widened in fear.  
  
  
  
"Kill me now!" yelled Himitsu, handing the masamune to her.  
  
"W-What?"exclaimed Meiling.  
  
He gave her the masamune. "Kill me now!Kill me for lying to you,Mei."  
  
"Lying?" she echoed,her mind on the name he called her.  
  
"I..I am here to kill your cousin, Li Syaoran." he confessed remorsely.  
  
"A-And you're Yao,right?" she whispered.  
  
"How did you know?"  
  
"Only Yao calls me 'Mei'." She knelt down and embraced him. "Why? Why do you want to kill my cousin?"  
  
He couldn't speak.  
  
"It doesn't matter." She touched his face. "It doesn't matter if you tell me or not."  
  
"No, I'll tell you, Mei." he said.  
  
She sat down to listen to him.  
  
  
Sakura was trudging around a garden dressed in pink silk medieval princess gown. She had been walking around in circles for hours, searching for the source of a voice beckoning her.  
  
Where was she anyway?  
  
"Sakura..Sakura.." Yukito's voice called.  
  
"Y-Yukito, where are you?" she called out. She jumped down to a pit and saw Yukito dressed in a prince costume, eating.  
  
"W-What are you doing down here, Yukito?"  
  
He smiled. "Come and eat with me, Sakura."  
  
She sat down beside him. "Why don't you eat up there, under a tree? Why do you have to dig a hole for yourself?"  
  
"Try the strawberry cake. It's good." He took a forkful of it. "Open your mouth."  
  
She did as told, but she was still puzzled. What's going on?  
  
As soon as the cake slid down her throat, she felt dizzy and weak. She collapsed in Yukito's arms.  
  
"Are you ok?" he asked worriedly, peering at her face.  
  
She smiled forcibly. "Of course.."  
  
She gasped when she saw his face descending to her face.  
  
She closed her eyes as her vision started to blur.  
  
  
  
Tomoyo stopped walking. She could sense something terrible happening to her best friend. She looked down at the sidewalk. "Sakura.."  
  
"Daidouji-san."  
  
She turned around and saw Eriol looking at her. Somehow, she could sense that he knows something about what was happening.  
  
"Hiragizawa-kun, please help Sakura," she begged.  
  
She wasn't surprised anymore when he nodded.  
  
  
  
Kero-chan gasped. "Sakura is in danger!"  
  
Yue clenched his fists but he forced himself to be calm. He looked at his fellow guardian. "Do not worry. The Clow descendant won't let anyone harm the mistress."  
  
"Y-Yes, Yue."  
  
  
To be continued.........  
  
*****************  
  
Author's note:  
  
Is it ok if I slighly vary what's going happen to the plot from the real CCS plot?  
  
-syaoran no hime 


	14. Episode 14

Himitsu laid his head wearily on Meiling's shoulder. "I know you will hate me, now that you know the truth," he said, his voice barely inaudible.  
  
Meiling ran her hand across his hair, shaking her head. "IIe."  
  
Yao Leu survived the cave erosion. He was treated by the Clow demon and was trained to be a merciless killer. He was taught how to use the masamune, the weapon the demon uses, against the descendant of the Clow. All in Yao's young mind was revenge. Revenge on his former best friend because he thought Li left him to die to save himself.  
  
She sobbed.  
  
"Mei?" He looked at her worriedly.  
  
She rubbed her eyes quickly. "Yao, you got it all wrong! It wasn't Syaoran's intention to leave you. It wasn't his fault."  
  
"Stop crying, Mei." He looked deeply troubled by her sorrow.  
  
"No,listen." She gazed at him through her tears. "I-It was my fault."  
  
"B-But how.."  
  
"Yao, he really wanted to save you..but he saved me first. There wasn't time for him to come back for you in the cave anymore."  
  
He looked stunned. Meiling chose to continue.  
  
"I followed you guys then. I wanted to invite both of you to play hide - and- seek with me, but you two ran off. S-So I went after you.." Her eyes were shaking. She took the masamune and held it out to Himitsu. "You trained so hard to slay the person who nearly killed you.. and it was me. Kill me."  
  
He smiled and put the masamune away. He cupped her face. "Mei, the very reason why I decided to forget about my mission was you. Now why should I try to hurt the person I love dearly? I would rather die."  
  
Her tears exploded. "Oh Yao, I'm not..I..nearly killed you, and I could have been the reason for my cousin's death.."  
  
"No. It was my fault, Mei. Don't cry," he comforted her. He took a pendant from his pocket. "Remember this?"  
  
She nodded. "T-That was the pretty rock I saw that you threaded so I can wear it..but how.."  
  
" I asked you if I could see it, but you gave it to me..you told me to wear it.."  
  
Meiling remembered the past vividly.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Hsieh hsieh, Yao!" Meiling looked at the pendant happily.  
  
He shyly inspected it closely. "Can I try it on?"  
  
She took it and hung it around his neck. "There. Keep it for the meantime. Wear it as a goodluck charm, ok?"  
  
He smiled gratefully. "I'll take good care of this."  
  
"You better!" she barked. "Because that will take the place of me when I'm not with you!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Her thoughts were broken when Himitsu hung it around her neck. "Here. I'm giving it back."  
  
"But why?"  
  
He laughed softly. "It's yours. I hope you don't mind if I fixed the pendant."  
  
She looked down at the necklace and found a ruby placed in the center of the rock.  
  
"Himitsu.." She stood up. "i.. I don't deserve your kindness.." With that, she ran away.  
  
"Mei, wait!!" He ran and followed her.  
  
  
  
"I killed him..I killed him.." Tears streaked down her cheeks uncontrollably. Meiling wiped them away, ignoring the pounding of the rain.  
  
She gasped when she crashed into another person. She looked up and saw Tomoyo holding her steady. Eriol was holding the umbrella, looking at her wordlessly.  
  
"Meiling?" asked Tomoyo worriedly.  
  
"D-Daidouji.." She hugged her tight. "It's Yao.."  
  
"So you know," the girl said softly.  
  
He held her shoulder. "Come with us. we're on our way to visit Sakura," he said.  
  
Yao arrived and paused. "M-Mei.."  
  
"Come with us too, Yao." he ordered.  
  
The boy nodded.  
  
  
  
  
The eyes of "Yukito" gleamed as his lips were about to touch Sakura's. One more inch and along with his kiss was the start of the eternal slumber of the Clow mistress.  
  
Sakura, on the other hand, felt herself lazily floating. She felt so peaceful. Her heart then gave a giant beat when she sensed an aura of a very furious wolf. She opened her eyes weakly and saw Li Syaoran stanfing at the top of the pit, his blazing amber eyes boring on Yukito.  
  
Yukito stood up. "Ah, the descendant of Clow."  
  
No words were heard from Li, but his aura increased rapidly because of his deep anger.  
  
  
to be continued... 


	15. Episode 15

"The descenedant of Clow wishes to do battle with me?" Yukito transformed into Yue.  
  
Li jumped down protectively in front of Sakura. "Sakura, please go back to the real world immediately."  
  
"N-Nani? Where am I?" she was confused.  
  
"You were taken by a demon into a dream world where if you don't wake up soon, you'll never-" His words were cut off by the sight of icicles coming their way.  
  
"Naruhodo," Sakura nodded. "Shield card!"  
  
The icicles bounced off. Li quickly attacked his opponent, but Yue was able to catch his sword with his hands. "Your attack is too weak." With that the man pushed the sword handle down to the boy's stomach.  
  
"Syaoran!!" screeched the girl.  
  
Li's vision was starting to blur, but he forced himself to remain standing. "No, I'm not defeated yet." With his last ounce of strength, he took out an incantation card.  
  
Sakura was about to hurry to his side but Li held out hand. "No, stay where you are."  
  
"Syaoran, you are powerless without your sword!" she reasoned as she looked at Yue who was holding the boy's weapon.  
  
Li ignored her. "Close your eyes and think about the people waiting for you back home. Will yourself to return."  
  
"But how about you?"  
  
"I'll defeat the demon first, then I'll go home."  
  
Tears were threatening to spill from her eyes. "Syaoran, we'll go home together. We're a team, remember?"  
  
His amber eyes shook.  
  
She ran to his side and took out the card similar to the elemental card he was holding. "I don't know what your plan is, but I know it's good and I'm going with it."  
  
"You are so stubborn!" he groaned, but he was grinning.  
  
"Silence! You shall all die!" With that, Yue released several powerful arrows towards them.  
  
"Now!" Li commanded.  
  
Both of them used their water spells to melt the ice attacks. Li then used his lightning spell to charge the water that was targetting the foe. The demon was helplessly electrocuted.  
  
"Yes!" The two exchanged high fives.  
  
"It's not over yet!" growled the demon. "I shall wilt another blossom under the rain." With that, it disappeared.  
  
Sakura was stunned. "Wilt another blossom?"  
  
"The first blossom must be you, Sakura. You are the cherryblossom, after all," said Li.  
  
"Then the other blossom must be.." Sakura's words trailed off.  
  
  
  
  
Tomoyo looked at the falling rain everywhere. She couldn't help but think that the eerie silence of the usually cheerful town of Tomoeda meant something.  
  
She gasped when she felt something touch her damp shoulder. She turned and saw Eriol looking at her.  
  
"Smile, little flower. Your friend is safe," he told her gently.  
  
Great relief flooded her heart. Sakura was safe! Her purple eyes lit up.  
  
Seeing her reaction, Eriol couldn't help but chuckle. "I really should tell you good news more often. Seeing you smile is quite a lovely sight to behold."  
  
Her cheeks flushed, amusing him even more. Eriol then stopped. He could sense a great power coming. He quickly used his powers to create a shield, but he was a minute too late.  
  
Himitsu knew it too. He panickedly summoned his masamune, but at the same moment, Meiling disappeared.  
  
"The lotus blossom is wilted!" The clow demon's malevolent laughter echoed everywhere.  
  
To be continued... 


	16. Epsiode 16

"Sakura, let's go back. Our friends need us," said Li.  
  
She nodded. "We must stop the Clow Joker before it hurts that certain blossom."  
  
Together they returned to the real world.  
  
  
  
"Meiling!!" screamed Tomoyo in horror.  
  
Eriol cursed himself. Had he not allowed himself to relax his defenses, this would not have happened.  
  
Yao, however, immediately knew that it was the work of the demon to take revenge on him for being disloyal to it. He shut his eyes tight and tried to find Meiling's aura.  
  
"She's around here somewhere," said Eriol. "The demon hid her in one part of the town."  
  
With one mighty sway of his masamune, everyone in Tomoeda who do not possess special powers immediately fell asleep.  
  
Tomoyo weakly rubbed her eyes. She really wanted to sleep. Her knees buckled, and she might had fell to the ground had Eriol not been quick enough to catch her.  
  
"Daidouji-san, go to sleep. It's no use fighting off Himitsu's slumber spell. It's for your own good. You will just endanger your life by staying awake while we battle the demon," he told her gently.  
  
She shook her haed stubbornly. "IIe. I want to see Sakura and Meiling."  
  
Yao faced her. "You two should go check on the Card Mistress. I will go around the town to find Meiling."  
  
Both of them nodded.  
  
  
  
LI and Sakura opened their eyes at the same time. They then both discovered their position and their faces reddened. The boy pulled away, his face burning. "S-Sakura, I can explain."  
  
The door was suddenly kicked open by Cerberus, "Sakura!!" It leapt joyfully on its mistress, rattling the bed.  
  
Yue entered the room, wearing one of his smiles that come as often as a blue moon. "I'm glad to see you two safe."  
  
Sakura smiled at her lunar guardian while hugging the other guardian. She then glanced at Syaoran, whose face was still flaming.  
  
Cerberus looked quizically at the girl. "Do you want to brush your teeth or something? You might still have grimy Li Syaoran germs stuck in them."  
  
As Li's face exploded into three different shades of red, Sakua laughed uncomfortably. "Cerberus!"  
  
Yue then intervened in Li's behalf and explained why the boy had to do it.  
  
"Now I see," She faced the boy again. "Arigatou, Syaoran-kun!"  
  
"Y-Yeah, don't mention it."  
  
  
  
Tomoyo's eyelids were getting heavy, but she forced herself to walk, walk and walk. The sidewalk leading to Sakur's house seemed endless. She desperately wanted to close her eyes even for a second but she knew that she could never break the slumber spell.  
  
"Are you sure you don't want to take a nap?" asked Eriol with concern.  
  
"Oh no, I'm fine-" Her words were cut off when she felt his arm encircle around her tiny waist, his other hand pulling her head gently down his shoulder. "I'm ordering you to sleep and rest your mind," he told her. "I will wake you up, I promise."  
  
She knew he would, but all thoughts of sleep vanished from her mind. She was too nervous to sleep, because they were a little too close for comfort.   
  
Yet she didn't step away from him.  
  
His nearness felt warm and good, like a cozy blnket of protection shielding her from the chilly pounding of the rain.  
  
Eriol smiled down at her. She smelled like a bunch of freshly-picked roses still moist with morning dew, and she was just as beautiful.  
  
"Hiragizawa Eriol, stop it!" he scolded himself. "Remember what happened awhile ago? Had you not let yourself be distracted by her, Meiling would still be safe!"  
  
He then noticed that the black sky was getting more violent every minute.  
  
He reluctantly picked up speed in walking.  
  
  
  
  
Yao pushed the limp bangs off his forehead as he walked. Where did the Clow demon hide Meiling?  
  
His last stop was the park. He looked around and suddenly felt a familiar aura. He followed it and that led him to the penguin slide. At the top of it was the floating unconcious body of Meiling.  
  
"Mei!" He was about to save her when the Joker materialized directly behind him. "Greetings, Yao Leu."  
  
He turned around. "Don't toy with her, you demon! She is not the Card Mistress so you won't have any use for her."  
  
"On the contrary," it smirked. "I know this girl owns your heart so we'll make a little deal: bring the corpses of both the descendant of Clow and the Card Mistress by midnight in this place, or I shall deliver to you the head of this child."  
  
Yao gasped.  
  
  
To be continued... 


	17. Episode 17

*Are you guys interested to see who Himitsu Ikaru is? Go to my site(the url is in my profile) and check out Himitsu Ikaru..facts and an image of him, as well as the first chapter of X:The Himitsu Ikaru Saga.*  
  
X 17  
  
Sakura and Li were halfway out of the Kinomoto residence with Cerberus and Yue when they saw Eriol, assisting a weak Tomoyo, walking towards them.  
  
"Yao Leu is facing a crisis," began Eriol grimly.  
  
Sakura rushed towards her second cousin. "Tomoyo-chan, what happened?"  
  
"Yao cast a slumber spell on everyone in Tomoeda so they won't get involved in this," explained the blue-eyed boy.  
  
"Just like my Sleep card!" exclaimed the card mistress.  
  
Tomoyo smiled. "Y-You're saem Sakura..thank heavens.." She collapsed into eriol's arms.  
  
Li wordlessly walked away.  
  
"Descendant of Clow, where are you going?" yelled Yue.  
  
The boy gripped his sword tighter. "The one thing I should have done long ago taht could have prevented all of this from happening." He then fled.  
  
"Syaoran!!" called Sakura.  
  
He stopped and turned towards her slowly.  
  
Her begging emerald eyes were shaking. "You won't do this alone," she said as the chilly wind played with her strands of honey-brown hair.  
  
His amber eyes softened. "This is my battle, sakura. stay here and wait."  
  
She smiled. "Did I mention to you that people born under the star sign of Aries are stubborn?" She took out a card. "Fly card!" She followed Li, with her guardians at her heels.  
  
Eriol, on the other hand, was left with Tomoyo. Cradling her gently so as not to wake her up, he used his power to shield themselves from the rain.  
  
To his surprise, her eyes slowly opened. "Please..go and follow them. You can protect Sakura-chan an help Li. You can save both Meiling and Himitsu..you can do a loth of things rather than to stay here."  
  
He brushed her wet bangs off her forehead. "If that's what you want."  
  
She nodded and smiled weakly. "Y-You were the kind-hearted boy who broke my fall weeks ago. The one in the black coat?"  
  
"Yes. Yes, I am," he admitted.  
  
"You saved me..again. Arigatou, Eriol-kun." With that she fell asleep.  
  
He chuckled. "Doo itashimashite, Tomoyo-san. You are very smart, you know, figuring out my identity so quickly." He then turned serious. "Kind-hearted..she thinks i"m kind.."  
  
  
  
Yao held out his masamune and pointed it at the Clow Joker. "I will not kill anyone here to save her..anyone but you!!" He attacked it, but it was able to avoid him easily.  
  
The boy turned around quickly and swiftly attacked. The demon cried out in pain as it gripped its arm.  
  
Blood dripped from his weapon down to his trembling hands.  
  
Blood. Cold blood.  
  
He didn't know what to do. For the first time since he met Meiling and vowed to himself that he would mend his ways, his hands were stained by blood not his own.  
  
"I promised Mei..I promised Mei I won't killa nymore.."he whispered.  
  
"Heads up, boy!" roared the demon as it clawed Yao's chest. The boy fell down the ground, wincing in pain.  
  
Yao didn't waste time. He attacked the demon again from the back, and using his lightning speed, was able to appear in front of the baest without it knowing it. He hit the demon with the blade of his masamune twice before throwing icicles at his way. The demon shielded itself, and Yao used the joker's split-second lack of concentration to save Meiling.  
  
At that instant, Li arrived, Sakura and her guardians not too far away.  
  
"Meiling!!" cried Syaoran. he knelt beside Yao and looked at his unconcious cousin.  
  
"Take her away..somewhere safe," instructed Yao, looking at his former best friend pleadingly.  
  
Sakura knelt beside Meiling and noticed the blood dripping down her hand. To her horror, she discovered that the blood was coming from Yao's wounded chest!  
  
"Yao!" she cried, pointing at his injury.  
  
He shook his head. "This is just a scartch. I won't die because of it."  
  
Cerberus and Yue stood in front of of them protectively. The Clow demon merely cackled.  
  
"You do not know the real power of the Clow Joker that my creator unwittingly released. Do you want to know that power?" it boomed.  
  
"Its power is to manipulate all of the 53 cards in the deck," said a voice from above.  
  
They all looked up and saw a tall ruby-haired woman with dark butterfly wings standing on a treetop with a big black panther beside her.  
  
A shadow emerged from the darkness, startling Syaoran and Sakura.  
  
"Clow Reed?!" they both exclaimed.  
  
"Not quite," said Eriol as he revealed himself to everyone.  
  
The Clow Joker smirked evily.  
  
**to be continued** 


	18. episode 18

"Eriol!!" Sakura cried incredulously. "H-How.."  
  
He shook his head. "If I were you, Card Mistress, you shall not worry about me yet. There are things you must deal with first, like this loose card.  
  
She followed his gaze. The Clow Joker was looking at them impatiently. She turned back to him. "Eriol, what should I do?"  
  
"Capture it, but it would be dangerous for you," he said. "Weaken it first."  
  
Syaoran gripped his sword. "I'll go distract the demon while Sakura captures it from behind."  
  
"Do not be foolish!" bellowed Yao. "It won't be easy as capturing a single clow card! The Clow Joker can use any of the clow cards with ease. You will just put Kinomoto's life in danger!"  
  
Eriol joined them on the ground, his servants following him. "There is a way to capture it easily."  
  
"How?" they chorused.  
  
He turned grim. "Find a dimension where magic won't work, and defeat the demon there."  
  
"But where is that dimension?" asked Yao.  
  
Eriol gestured to the masamune. "Your weapon. Its negative forces can be neutralized by Sakura's transformed cards that emit positive energy, then magic won't work there. I can create the dimension in there so you can attack the demon stripped off its real power. Your battle will then be purely physical."  
  
Syaoran grinned and flexed his arms. "I can still do martial arts."  
  
Yao did the same. "Me too."  
  
They looked at each other and then at Meiling. Quickly, an understanding formed between them.  
  
"Let's do it!" they both said at the same time.  
  
Yao looked at the sleeping Meiling first. He knelt beside her and traced the curves of her face with his finger delicately. "Wo ai ni, Mei. You are life's best gift to me. You are the reason why I decided to start life anew. I do love you."  
  
Eriol patted him. "It's time."  
  
The boy nodded. He followed Li, Sakura and the guardians into the portal Eriol created.  
  
The demon growled. "Where are you going?"  
  
"Do you want to know? Then follow us!" dared Ruby Moon haughtily.  
  
The Clow Joker wasted no time. It followed them into the portal.  
  
  
  
As they were walking, Li spoke up. "Yao, I didn't mean to leave you in the cave."  
  
A pause. "I know. Mei told me about that already."  
  
"I see."  
  
"Thank you for saving Mei."  
  
"You do love my cousin, don't you? I've noticed that even when we were just kids," said Li, relieved that after years of animosity, he and Yao were conversing normally again.  
  
"Yes, but she does not feel the same way, unfortunately." He looked at him. "Mei loves you."  
  
"But.. I can't love her..you see..I love someone else." Syaoran glanced at Sakura from the corner of his eye. "I can only love her as a friend."  
  
Yao laughed bitterly. "A bizarre love triangle."  
  
Their conversation was cut short by the appearance of the Clow demon in front of them.  
  
"Let's get it on, children!" It held out the deck of Clow cards it was holding and started to paly with it with his hands.  
  
Syaoran and Yao went into their battle stances. On the other hand, all the guardians protected Sakura.  
  
"Be careful," whispered Sakura.  
  
**to be continued** 


	19. Episode 19

X 19  
  
The Clow Joker tried to use a Clow card, but to its shock, nothing happened.  
  
"What the-" The demon realized that it was tricked.  
  
Yao seized the chance and attacked it from behind. The demon wasn't quick enough to escape from his tight grip.  
  
Li followed his friend and slashed the demon on the chest.  
  
  
  
Meiling woke up slowlyand found herself ina beautiful garden full of jasmines. She looked around admiringly.  
  
She was startled to when she felt something was placed on her head. She looked upa nd saw Yao smiling at her.  
  
She touched her head and felt something soft. She took it off to get a better look.  
  
It was a crown made from the flowers of jasmine.   
  
Yao took it and placed it back on her hair again. "Don't take it off yet. It looks good on you," he said quietly.  
  
She blushed. "You are very kind."  
  
His raven eyes averted hers. "Hsieh hsieh."   
  
Suddenly a chilly gust of wind blew her crown away. Meiling chased after it, but by the time she reached it, the petals of the flowers were gone.  
  
She turned back to Yao. "My crown-" She blinked. He was gone.  
  
As more gusts of wind played around her, she heard Yao's voice.  
  
"Wo ai ni, Mei. You are life's best blessing to me."  
  
For some reason, Meiling suddenly felt inconsolable grief.  
  
  
  
Eriol gently tapped Meiling. "Wake up. You're dreaming."  
  
She opened her eyes weakly. The garden of jasmines was no more. "Yao?"  
  
He looked down. "He's in there." He pointed to the masamune.  
  
"Y-You're kidding."  
  
"No," Eriol said. "Lindon Boy will never lie."  
  
Meiling's eyes widened. "H-Hiragizawa!"  
  
  
  
The demon was still alive and was very strong. It managed to throw Yao to LI, causing the boys to fall down the ground together.  
  
"Syaoran! Yao!" screamed Sakura.  
  
Yue and Cerberus prepared to attack, but to their dismay, they remembered that their magic won't work in this dimension anymore.  
  
The Clow Joker was in a rampage. "Why can't I use the Clow cards??!!"  
  
Yao helped Li up and pointed at the demon's wounds. "Look!"  
  
The chest wound magically healed.  
  
Li was stunned. "How did that happen?"  
  
"Magic doesn't work here, right?" asked Cerberus nervously.  
  
Spinel Sun sighed deeply. "I'm afraid the Joker has already discovered its ultimate power."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"The Clow Joker possesses an elixir to ensure that it lives long enough to balance the forces of the Clow cards," explained Ruby Moon.  
  
"What's an elixir?" Sakura wanted to know.  
  
"An elixir is anything that is capable of prolonging life indefinitely," explained Yue. "It seems that the Joker's elixir is already a physical part of it."  
  
"So the demon is unkillable?" asked LI.  
  
The Clow Joker cackled. "Clow Reed is not as intelligent and all-knowing as you all think. He shouldn't have bestowed upon me this power."  
  
Li weakly stepped back. "So that means even if Yao and I kill it.."  
  
"..it will only heal itself again," finished Yao.  
  
**to be continued** 


	20. Episode 20

Yao looked at the Clow Demon intently. There must surely be a way to defeat it.  
  
"It will only heal itself if we hurt it, so it cannot be killed.." he thought.  
  
"Watch out!" yelled Li.  
  
"Huh?" He looked up just in time to see the Clow joker charging towards him in great speed, ready to kill him.  
  
"Yao!" screamed Sakura in horror.  
  
  
  
"If you really are the reincarnation of Clow Reed , then why don't you go hep them? The Clow demon is your creation!" screamed Meiling.  
  
"I can't."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"The Clow Demon keeps the negative forces of the cards. If it dies, the Clow cards will absorb those forces again and wreak havoc in the world."  
  
"But the cards will only obey their mistress, right?"  
  
"Wrong," replied Eriol. "Sakura's power over the cards is not yet enough. The cards might just destroy her."  
  
"This is all Clow Reed's fault! He shouldn't have bestowed such enormous power over that card!"  
  
"It is mandatory. Keeping the balance of forces of all the cards is a tough job. The Clow joker should be as powerfula s the cardcaptor to ensure that no chaos happens."  
  
"The end does not justify the means!" reasoned Meiling. "Because of your foolishness, the Clow demon became invincible!"  
  
The boy shook his head. "Not quite."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"There is one way to defeat it."  
  
"How?"  
  
"Keep it alive somewhere it could do no harm."  
  
  
  
Li stood in front of Yao, his sword blocking the claws of the demon. "Don't you dare hurt my friend!" he hissed.  
  
"Syaoran.." Yao's eyes shook. Suddenly memories of their childhood frienship flooded his mind.  
  
The three of them- he, Li and Mei- picnicking, sparring as Mei watched them, playing hide and seek..  
  
He paused. He remembered the game where they played it in a big forest nearby where the tag's clue in finding one's playmates was making noises wherever one was hiding. The playmates couldn't be seen, but their presences could still be felt.  
  
"That's it!" said Yao. They're in his masamune's dimension, and he owns this world! He could control this world! If he could find a way to lock the Clow Joker in this dimension, it wouldn't be able to hurt his friends anymore, but it still could dispense its powers as the Keeper of The Clow's negative forces!  
  
He turned to Li. "I have an idea."  
  
  
  
Eriol felt his energy dissipating fast. The portal was taking too much of his powers. He sent a telepathic message to Sakura.  
  
  
  
Sakura's eyes flapped wide open. She could hear Eriol's voice in her mind!  
  
"Listen, Sakura. You have to tell your friends that I cannot hold this portal much longer. Destroy the Clow Joker..we have no other choice. I will take care of destroying the negative forces that the Joker will unleash once it dies," he said.  
  
"Won't it be dangerous?" she asked fearfully.  
  
"Nothing is dangerous enough for someone like me," he replied.  
  
"I-I'll tell them right away." She faced her friends. "Everyone, we have to get out of here, fast! Or else, we'll get locked in this dimension!"  
  
Everyone, including the Joker, was stunned.  
  
  
  
Li couldn't believe it. They had to get out of here quickly!  
  
"Syaoran."  
  
He faced Yao. "What is it?"  
  
"I want you to do three things for me."  
  
"Of course!"  
  
"First, I want you to keep your promise you made on Mei's seventh birthday," said Yao.  
  
Li remembered that Yao made him promise that if the latter canot do so anymore, he would take his job as Meiling's cheerful inseperable companion.   
  
"Second, I want you to tie a lotus blossom around the handle of my masamune," continued Yao.  
  
Li was puzzled. "Whya re you talking this way?"  
  
He ignored him. "Finally, will you please make a flower crown made of jasmines and give it to Mei? Tell her that wherever I may be, I will be gathering all the prettiest petals of jasmines to make into the most beautiful crown fit for someone as dear as her. Someday, when we meet in another lifetime, I will give it to her."  
  
Li choked. "Yao.."  
  
"Promise me," he said urgently.  
  
"I-I promise."  
  
He smiled. "Very well, LI Syaoran. Hsieh hsieh. Thank you for being a friend to me..a very good one. Too bad I realized it too late."  
  
"What-"  
  
With that, Yao touched a pitch-black wall of the dimension and a portal opened. He then ran towards the demon and with all his might, grabbed it and pulled it with him towards the portal.  
  
"Noooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!" yelled the demon.  
  
"Yao!!!!" screamed Sakura and Syaoran.  
  
The portal closed.  
  
  
  
************final chapter out soon!!!********** 


	21. finale

"Where is Yao?" Meiling repeated, louder this time. Something was telling her that something happened to him.  
  
"H-He's not coming house with us anymore, Meiling," Li said as gently as he could.  
  
Her ruby eyes froze in fear. "N-No.." she collapsed, trembling. "No.." One by one, her tears cascaded freely down her cheeks. "I-I don't believe you.Yao is alive! Yao is alive!" she cried.  
  
Sakura hugged the girl, weeping too."Meiling, he's gone. He saved us."  
  
"I wasn't even able to tell him how much he means to me..how much I love him,"she whispered.  
  
Eriol turned his back. "The 53rd card was created to counteract the cards, but sadly, that card is not enough. Clow Reed created another card, the Joker. It was sealed in the original lasin board of the Li clan so as to help in locating the cards whenever they get lost, but the board was destroyed two years ago. Fortunately, a new board was created just in time when Sakura accidentally set the cards loose."  
  
"Yao and I did it. We wished to find someone powerful enough to spar with, but we bit on something more than we can chew," narrated Syaoran.  
  
Meiling leaned on Sakura, drowning herself in her tears. "Yao..Yao.."  
  
Something extraordinary happened then. The masamune magically dissolved into fine, silvery dust that danced in the wind carrying some petals of jasmines.  
  
Her heart was strangely comforted. It was a sign. It was a promise. He would still be by her, no matter what.  
  
  
  
"Yes, I'm going back. Yes,yes, my identity was revealed already. No, Ruby Moon and Spinel Sun are not well. THey are in a full-scale battle over the last piece of cake. Yes, they are on the brink of setting the neighborhood on fire." Eriol glanced at his servants warily before turning his attention back to the phone. "Yes, Kaho. Yes, I am well. I already sent my letter to school, to Terada-sensei. I will do miss my friends.." He frowned when Kaho said something. "Kaho, it's not true!" He sighed again. "Kaho, I implore you to stop listening to Nakuru's tales! I have no girlfriend here, least of all Daidouji-san. She's a nice and sweet girl but believe me, she means nothing to me.."  
  
As the woman's voice droned over the phone, a flashback caught him off-guard. That moment when he held Tomoyo in his arms and protected her from the rain. He had never felt that instinct- the need to protect somebody- in his whole life. The impule to take care of a person as if she was a fragile porcelain figure.  
  
He blinked when he heard the busy tone. He didn't even realize that Kaho had hung up on him already. He placed the receiver down. Clow Reed may be laughing at him now, but Kami-sama, he was simply confused.  
  
  
  
Tomoyo looked at the Hiragizawa residence nervously. She rung the doorbell and opened the door. There she found two fierce-looking creatures throwing kitchen utensils at each other.  
  
Both stopped and turned to her. "H-Hi.."  
  
Eriol came down, smiling. "Konnichiwa, Daidouji-san."  
  
"K-Konnichiwa, Hiragizawa-kun.." She bowed and handed him a giftwrapped box. "I-I heard you were leaving tomorrow already so.."  
  
"A farewell gift?" he asked, amused and touched at the same time.  
  
"S-Sort of," Her cheeks flushed, she abruptly pivoted and was about to walk away when he hurriedly grabbed her hand clasped it tightly. He pulled her gently beside her. "Maybe you will allow me the privilege to have you as my audience when I open this thoughtful gift," he said.  
  
Tomoyo looked around the room and panicked when she saw Ruby Moon and Spinel Sun conveniently slip out of the room to continue their disrupted battle in the den.  
  
He chuckled. "Thank you for giving us a little courtesy of privacy here, my friends." He then carefully opened the box and lifted its content.  
  
A small framed cross stitch of the Clow symbol with a matching clock at the bottom.  
  
"It's lovely," he whispered.  
  
"I made ita few nights ago..not very original though. The clock thingie was just bought, but the rest was my work. It's not good but-"  
  
He shook his head with a smile. "Thank you. It's beautiful."  
  
She blushed again, more profusely this time.  
  
He touched the smooth glass and looked at the clock. "This will tell me when it's time to go back and be true to my feelings."  
  
"What? Pardon?"  
  
He chuckled once more and bent to kiss her hand. "I shall come back and visit you, Daidouji-san."  
  
"I shall wait for that."  
  
  
  
Syaoran looked at his cousin in concern. "Are you sure you're ok?"  
  
Meiling nodded. "Of course!" She placed her things down and hugged him. "Take care of yourself."  
  
"You too."  
  
Her eyes twinkled. "Take care of Kinomoto too."  
  
His face flamed. "Meiling!!" He looked around the airport as if Sakura would be standing behind them, eavesdropping.  
  
"Tell her what you feel, Syaoran. She will listen," she said confidently.  
  
He nodded slowly. "Maybe..maybe someday."  
  
"True love comes only once in a lifetime..seize your happiness before it disappears." Her eyes shooka s she remembered Yao once more.  
  
He nodded and squeezed her hand. "Be strong, Meiling." He then handed her a flower crown. "Yao asked me to give you this."  
  
She took it and pressed it on her heart. "He has already given me one..only that crown is made to last forever. a crown of pure love."  
  
  
  
***THE END*** 


End file.
